Patents by Inventor Dean Nobunaga

Dean Nobunaga has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9443600
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that controls a peak-current condition in a multi-die memory, such as a solid-state drive, by determining by at least one die of the multi-die memory whether a subsequent memory operation is a high-current memory operation, such as an operation to enable a charge pump of the die, an operation to charge a bit line of the die, or a program/erase loop operation, or a combination thereof. The die enters a suspended-operation mode if the subsequent memory operation is determined to be a high current memory operation. Operation is resumed by the die in response to a resume operation event, such as, but not limited to, a command specifically address to the die, an indication from another die that a high-current memory operation is complete. Once operation is resumed, the die performs the high-current memory operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Ali Ghalam, Dean Nobunaga, Jason Guo
  • Patent number: 9390049
    Abstract: Described embodiments include logical units within a memory device with control circuitry configured to assign a logical unit address to the logical unit. Apparatus including a plurality of the logical units arranged in a daisy chain configuration and methods of assigning logical unit addresses to the logical units are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: June Lee, Terry M. Grunzke, Dean Nobunaga
  • Publication number: 20140293704
    Abstract: A method and apparatus that controls a peak-current condition in a multi-die memory, such as a solid-state drive, by determining by at least one die of the multi-die memory whether a subsequent memory operation is a high-current memory operation, such as an operation to enable a charge pump of the die, an operation to charge a bit line of the die, or a program/erase loop operation, or a combination thereof. The die enters a suspended-operation mode if the subsequent memory operation is determined to be a high current memory operation. Operation is resumed by the die in response to a resume operation event, such as, but not limited to, a command specifically address to the die, an indication from another die that a high-current memory operation is complete. Once operation is resumed, the die performs the high-current memory operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Ali Ghalam, Dean Nobunaga, Jason Guo
  • Patent number: 8806155
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luyen Vu, Uday Chandrasekhar, Dean Nobunaga
  • Publication number: 20140068186
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Luyen Vu, Uday Chandrasekhar, Dean Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 8601331
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a block remapping system that offsets an input block address by the addresses of non-functional blocks to provide an output block address that is used to address the memory device. The system generates the output block addresses by, in effect, adding to the input block address the addresses of all non-functional blocks of memory that are between an initial address and the output block address. The system performs this function be comparing the input block address to the address of any defective block. If the address of the defective block is less than or equal to the input block address, the addresses of all defective blocks starting at the block address are added to the input block address. The system then iteratively performs this process using each output block address generated by the system in place of the input block address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, Hanqing Li
  • Patent number: 8462536
    Abstract: The present description relates to non-volatile memory arrays and the operation thereof In at least one embodiment, the non-volatile memory array may include a plurality of memory modules coupled in a daisy chain with enable in/out signals, and a single chip enable signal coupled in parallel to each memory module. With such a configuration, all memory units within each of the memory modules of each memory array may be addressed with the single chip enable signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, Terry Grunzke, Ali Ghalam
  • Patent number: 8416628
    Abstract: Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, William Kammerer, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Patent number: 8386724
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Luyen Vu, Uday Chandrasekhar, Dean Nobunaga
  • Publication number: 20130003465
    Abstract: Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, William Kammerer, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Publication number: 20120311297
    Abstract: Described embodiments include logical units within a memory device with control circuitry configured to assign a logical unit address to the logical unit. Apparatus including a plurality of the logical units arranged in a daisy chain configuration and methods of assigning logical unit addresses to the logical units are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: June Lee, Terry M. Grunzke, Dean Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 8321713
    Abstract: A fast data access circuit that has both a standard clock mode and a fast data access mode. The mode is selectable through a mode/configuration register. A configuration word loaded into the register has bits to indicate the desired mode and the input clock frequency. In the fast data access mode, a clock delay circuit uses the clock frequency setting bits to select a delay to be added to the input clock. The higher the clock frequency, the less the added delay. The delayed clock generates FIFO control signals to control a data FIFO register. During the fast data access mode, the data is output from the data FIFO register at a faster rate than in the standard clock mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean Nobunaga
  • Patent number: 8295098
    Abstract: Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, William Kammerer, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Publication number: 20120230110
    Abstract: The present description relates to non-volatile memory arrays and the operation thereof In at least one embodiment, the non-volatile memory array may include a plurality of memory modules coupled in a daisy chain with enable in/out signals, and a single chip enable signal coupled in parallel to each memory module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, Terry Grunzke, Ali Ghalam
  • Publication number: 20110310675
    Abstract: Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, William Kammerer, Uday Chandrasekhar
  • Publication number: 20110219260
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a block remapping system that offsets an input block address by the addresses of non-functional blocks to provide an output block address that is used to address the memory device. The system generates the output block addresses by, in effect, adding to the input block address the addresses of all non-functional blocks of memory that are between an initial address and the output block address. The system performs this function be comparing the input block address to the address of any defective block. If the address of the defective block is less than or equal to the input block address, the addresses of all defective blocks starting at the block address are added to the input block address. The system then iteratively performs this process using each output block address generated by the system in place of the input block address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: DEAN NOBUNAGA, Hanqing Li
  • Patent number: 7958439
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a block remapping system that offsets an input block address by the addresses of non-functional blocks to provide an output block address that is used to address the memory device. The system generates the output block addresses by, in effect, adding to the input block address the addresses of all non-functional blocks of memory that are between an initial address and the output block address. The system performs this function be comparing the input block address to the address of any defective block. If the address of the defective block is less than or equal to the input block address, the addresses of all defective blocks starting at the block address are added to the input block address. The system then iteratively performs this process using each output block address generated by the system in place of the input block address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Nobunaga, Hanqing Li
  • Patent number: 7889562
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods of operating memory devices are provided. In one such embodiment, a programming voltage pulse or an erase voltage pulse is applied to memory cells of a memory device. A rate at which programming or erasing is proceeding is determined. The programming voltage pulse or the erase voltage pulse is adjusted at least partially in response to the determined rate. The adjusted programming voltage pulse or the adjusted erase voltage pulse is applied to the memory cells that failed to program or erase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean Nobunaga
  • Publication number: 20100235679
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device includes a block remapping system that offsets an input block address by the addresses of non-functional blocks to provide an output block address that is used to address the memory device. The system generates the output block addresses by, in effect, adding to the input block address the addresses of all non-functional blocks of memory that are between an initial address and the output block address. The system performs this function be comparing the input block address to the address of any defective block. If the address of the defective block is less than or equal to the input block address, the addresses of all defective blocks starting at the block address are added to the input block address. The system then iteratively performs this process using each output block address generated by the system in place of the input block address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: DEAN NOBUNAGA, Hanqing Li
  • Publication number: 20100211733
    Abstract: Memory devices and methods facilitate handling of data received by a memory device through the use of data grouping and assignment of data validity status values to grouped data. For example, data is received and delineated into one or more data groups and a data validity status is associated with each data group. Data groups having a valid status are latched into one or more cache registers for storage in an array of memory cells wherein data groups comprising an invalid status are rejected by the one or more cache registers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Luyen Vu, Uday Chandrasekhar, Dean Nobunaga